Stereoisomerically pure syn 3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate esters are key chiral intermediates for the synthesis of cholesterol lowering statins such as atorvastatin calcium (sold under the brand name LIPITOR® by Pfizer, Inc.), rosuvastatin calcium (sold under the brand name CRESTOR® by AstraZeneca, Ltd.), and pitavastatin (sold in Japan under the brand name Lipalo by Kowa Company Ltd. and Nissan Chemical Industries). While various methods for producing these chiral intermediates are known, including both chemical and enzymatic methods of reducing the corresponding 5-hydroxy-3-oxohexanoate ester, these methods suffer significant drawbacks, making them less than ideal for commercial scale synthesis. Given the importance of these key chiral intermediates in the synthesis of cholesterol lowering statins, compositions and methods useful for synthesizing these compounds in a cost effective and efficient manner would be highly desirable.